Just past the old raceway one can still see the Buellton sign that has also been there for over 70 years.
With the famous sign on it for the well known Andersen's Pea Soup showing "Hap-pea" standing over "Pea-wee"
The earlier mentioned Jack Mendenhall was friendly with the Andersen family and they sponsored Jack as he built specials to go racing after the local raceway closed down. The first creation was this dragster which was the original "Pea-Soup" Andersen Special. Along with Bob Joehnck's engine preparation this dragster was very competitive at the local quarter mile drag strips at Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo.
It ran originally as a flathead-powered gasser and like most dragsters it went through a variety of engine changes. In this photo from the early sixties it powered by a fuel injected Cadillac engine.
Jack doing some tire warming on the San Luis Obispo drag strip, smoking out the 1942 Buick ambulance.
Another view of Jack Mendenhall leaving the start line at Santa Maria.
Jack Mendenhall's dragster can be seen today at his collection. (More on that later.)
(Ken H)
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